When was the last time no Italian clubs qualified for the Round of 16 in the Champions League?

We are eight months removed from Inter Milan playing in the Champions League Final. Back in May Paris St. German beat them to win their first UCL title in club history. Now, fast forward to last night, Inter has yet again been dealt another heartbreak this time at the hands of Norwegian side Bodø/Glimt.

Generation disappointment pending

Now Italy is staring down a European disappointment that the country has not seen in almost 40 years. There is a very good possibility that we could see a Champions League Round of 16 without a single Italian club for the first time since the 1987/88 season.

The top European competition reintroduced the last-16 knockout round in the 2003-04 season and since then at least one Italian club has graced the round of 16 in each of those 22 years. Tonight two clubs have a chance to continue that streak, but are against the ropes following first leg losses last week.

Should Juventus and Atalanta both fail to overcome their deficits and get knocked out of the playoff tonight, it would leave Italy without a club in this stage of the tournament for the first time since Napoli was knocked out of the first round of the European Cup in the 1987/88 campaign.

Last chance for Italy

Back then there were no group stages, just a 32 team tournament in which clubs faced each other in a two legged, home and away fixture from the first round to the semifinals. Napoli was sole Italian club in the tournament, and they defeated by Real Madrid 3-1 on aggregate.

Now it’s up to either Atalanta or Juventus to save the streak and advance to the Round of 16, but both sides have uphill battles. Juve were stunned in Turkey last week and will have to battle back after losing 5-2 last week. Atalanta were defeated 2-0 by Borussian Dortmund at Signal Indua Park, and now return home looking to turn the tie around and continue their Champions campaign.

There were a total of four Italian sides in the Champions League league phase. Napoli failed to reach the top 24 after winning just two matches and finishing 30th with 8 points. Atalanta, Juventus and Inter finished 15th, 13th and 10th respectively, but now all are facing playoff exits.

Related stories

Champions League

Kylian Mbappé ruled out for Madrid

Get closer to the game! Whether you like your soccer of the European variety or that on this side of the pond, our AS USA app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more. Plus, stay updated on NFL, NBA and all other big sports stories as well as the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.

And there’s more: check out our TikTok and Instagram reels for bite-sized visual takes on all the biggest soccer news and insights.